Numerous manufacturing processes require the use of ultrapure liquids, such as acids, solvents, bases, photoresists, dopants, inorganic, organic, and biological solutions, pharmaceuticals, and radioactive chemicals. Such applications require that the number and size of particles in the ultrapure liquids be minimized. In particular, because ultrapure liquids are used in many aspects of the microelectronic manufacturing process, semiconductor manufacturers have established strict particle concentration specifications for process chemicals and chemical-handling equipment. Such specifications are needed because, should the liquids used during the manufacturing process contain high levels of particles or bubbles, the particles or bubbles may be deposited on solid surfaces of the silicon. This can, in turn, lead to product failure and reduced quality and reliability.
Accordingly, storage, transportation, and dispensing of such ultrapure liquids require containers capable of providing adequate protection for the retained liquids. Two types of containers typically used in the industries are simple rigid-wall containers made of glass or plastic and collapsible liner-based containers. Rigid-wall containers are conventionally used because of their physical strengths, thick walls, inexpensive cost, and ease of manufacture. Such containers, however, can introduce air-liquid interfaces when pressure-dispensing the liquid. This can cause gas to dissolve into the retained liquid, such as photoresist, in the container and can lead to undesired particle and bubble generation in the liquids in the dispense train.
Further, single-use plastic bags/liners may be used for storage, delivery, mixing, reacting, etc., for example, in the biopharmaceutical industry. The materials comprising the liner can negatively impact the contents of the liner in a number of ways, for example: leachable and extractable chemicals may move from the bag to the contents, resulting in contaminated material; the bag may dissolve into the contents causing structural weakening; chemical reactions between the contents of the bag and gases permeating through the bag (e.g., oxygen, water, ozone, etc.) may occur; surface adhesion may limit the amount of material delivered and/or induce unwanted reactions in the contents (e.g., biofouling), etc.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a better liner system that may not only maintain the purity of the contents of a liner, but may also enhance the purity of the contents of the liner.